Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Some Days Are Like That

I was looking for a poem to describe the feeling when the pieces won't fit and there is nothing that can be done about it. I found this one, and it's just right.

In Answer to Your Query
by Naomi Lazard

We are sorry to inform you
the item you ordered
is no longer being produced.
It has not gone out of style
nor have people lost interest in it.
In fact, it has become
one of our most desired products.
Its popularity is still growing.
Orders for it come in
at an ever increasing rate.
However, a top-level decision
has caused this product
to be discontinued forever.

Instead of the item you ordered
we are sending you something else.
It is not the same thing,
nor is it a reasonable facsimile.
It is what we have in stock,
the very best we can offer.

If you are not happy
with this substitution
let us know as soon as possible.
As you can imagine
we already have quite an accumulation
of letters such as the one
you may or may not write.
To be totally fair
We respond to these complaints
as they come in.
Yours will be filed accordingly,
answered in its turn.

from Good Poems for Hard Times
Selected and Introduced by Garrison Keillor, 2005.

3 comments:

mermaid said...

I hope you can ride out those waves. It sounds tough.

Anonymous said...

Isn't this a perfect poem for times when things are just "off" and funky? Good to catch up with you, Sharon! I've missed reading your posts while I've been away and behind. Like you, I am in a poetry mood lately ....

Anonymous said...

Love that poem!Yours will be filed accordingly.... perfect! Sharon- it'll all fall into place. It's a tough developmental task you've got.